Make your own TWISTED LEADERS

[Tommo]

Ianzo, I have found that the best way to join the twisty to the main line is to make a loop in the braid, either a 70 turn Bimini twist, or using a braid stitch. Then use Reefz modified cats paw knot, simple yet 100% effective!

[Nepptune]

Tommo  I think Ian was referring to the Twisty to Bite Trace connection rather than trhe braid to twisty....

Ian - Yip, simple 3 or 4 turn Double Uni, depending on your Bite Trace thickness.... I was using 240lb FISHERMAN STEALTH leader ( go big or go home ) so I defintely needed to keep this join OUTSIDE the tip guide!!

I basically had a drop of about 1.2 or 1.4 metres from the rod tip, and the join between the barid and the twisty was halfway between the reel and the first guide to give you an idea of my leader length in total...

I use the Braid stitch for loops in solid strand braid like Varivas, YGK Ultra, Suffix, Daiwa Saltiga Boat Braid etc, as I've lost faith in the bimini in Braid,  buth otherwise using Jerry Brown Hollowcore which is hollw, so splicable and its awesome for creating loops on the end by splicing... you want the smallest possible loop you can get away with to prevent having a large loop at the join when casting as this can get hung up on your first guide and potentially destroy your guides...

I've bent my stripper guide FLAT on a cast with a wind knot that got wrapped on the first guide... when you are casting 180 gram plus lures, with another 40 grams plus worth of hooks hanging off them, thats ALOT of force and can damage your guides and destroy a good rod, or at least put it out of action in a hurry!!

Thankfully my guides were top notch, and I was able to bend it back, and carry on fishing.... now that rods first guide just has some funky kinks in it... adds to her character! 

[Tommo]

He, he, you are right Andre, Sorry Ian, my typing fingers were going faster than my brain...

I am with you on that Jerry Brown, man that stuff is fantastic to make loops with, join lines etc! I have fallen in love with it... Also spot on with the small loop in the braid, Jeez I have seen some mayhem from braid wrapping around the stripping guide (rods going overboard, guides being torn off etc)
The braid stitch works well on solid lines, but I do like to redo them every evening, Which can be a chore when you are camping or staying at lodges where there is no bright light.

Hopefully we will get a chance to chase some of those GT's together sometime!

[MIKE PIKE]

We actually discussed this round the camp fire on the recent Vidal social , whether u could use the twistys for R/S spinning ,but making twistys with smaller diameter leader like .60 and even smaller as when its twisted its actually double and because of the nature of the twists goes thru the rod guides easier + the catspaw connection is also less resistance.... i'll get around to experimenting with some various smaller diameter twisted leaders and see if they work ...         

[Gerhard]

I used this to make a twisted leader for my fly fishing kit.

But I used a double line of 12 lbs line to create a 4 strand twisted leader at 6ft I made a water knot after the knot cut the strand another 10 inches another water knot and then a single 12 lbs where I made a perfection loop.

The perfection loop in the tippet material then tippet to leader with loop to loop connection.

Will test this leader later in 2011 on Large mouth Yellows in the Vaal... 

[fedu]

Reefs,

Just wanted to say THANK YOU


Today I did my own twisted leaders and reading your post made it so simple and easy the spin reel trick is just amazing.

[REEFMAN]

Reefs,

Just wanted to say THANK YOU


Today I did my own twisted leaders and reading your post made it so simple and easy the spin reel trick is just amazing.

Coming from a man of your calibre, that's a great compliment... thanks Fedu!

[fedu]

One more question, do you guys use a bite leader between the twisted and the lure ?

Pros & Cons ?

[REEFMAN]

Only time I would use a bite leader is if I was targetting Doggies.

By the way Fedu... what knot are you using to attach your Twisty? Have you seen the Reefz special? The Modified Cats Paw... so easy and works like a bomb!

http://www.ultimateangling.co.za/index.php/topic,3638.0.html

[fedu]

I am using this one easy and really looks nice, but have not made any "scientific" test on it just fished it last weekend


attaching a twisted leader to braid mainline

[REEFMAN]

Ok... thanks. It looks quite interesting... very similar concept to the Modified Cats Paw, just much more difficult!

[fedu]

Ok... thanks. It looks quite interesting... very similar concept to the Modified Cats Paw, just much more difficult!

hahahahahahaha

Will try your Modified Cats Paw.

P.S. - Actually very easy if you forget the hook and just use your hands I did it at the boat and I have two left hands

[REEFMAN]

Trust me... you will be pleasantly surprised! This knot has never failed me, (and MANY other much more serious anglers) whether Jigging/Popping or Shark fishing with Wind-ons...! And very easy to do.

[TUNAMAN]

Trust me... you will be pleasantly surprised! This knot has never failed me, (and MANY other much more serious anglers) whether Jigging/Popping or Shark fishing with Wind-ons...! And very easy to do.

It is all I use unless I need to get some specialised leader on that is not already a windon, then PR knot.

[REEFMAN]

Did a new Tut for the Join to braid...

http://www.ultimateangling.co.za/index.php/topic,3638.0.html

[hrogers]

Thanks for the tip of the twisted leader line - I used a stretching Knot line again for casting - working very effective for heavy sinkers
It's similar as the twisted leader line - Where the difference is the line is 3 times - This trace is not that long - one person can do it easily -
Fold the line in 2
Hold the 2 lines in-between your hand - Start to twist the line with your hand between 10 - 15 times - Hold the line tight - Put the edge of the line in-between your feet- Hold the line straight, now take one of the lines and take it down with the twisted line - this line will twist itself together with the other lines. When the bottom is reached - make a half itch
on one line then go to the other side do the same - then you can tie all the line together - you can cut of the last piece on the edge - now tie this line to your leader line and do your self a test - take the line and stretched it with your hands !! You will actually see how it is stretching
 
22 Okt Saturday I'm going to Tugela mouth for a week - Any fishing tips for that area ??